Paul &nbspHarris

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Full Name

Paul Edward Harris

Background

A 51-year-old Kaitaia man has been jailed for five years and nine months for the fatal stabbing of his neighbour.

Paul Edward Harris was sentenced in the Whangarei High Court on Friday after pleading guilty to an alternative charge of manslaughter entered midway through his High Court trial.

Harris had originally been charged with the murder of Joseph Rowland Keogh, 29, in April 2015 and was facing a three-week trial when undisclosed difficulties arose in the lead up to the trial.

It was later aborted after closed-door discussions between Justice John Faire, the Crown and Harris' defence lawyers.

On June 3 Harris pleaded guilty and was convicted of manslaughter.

The court heard the 29-year-old father-of-four was partially dragged from his four wheel drive and stabbed after a confrontation with Harris, who had taken exception to the group possum hunting in the area.

Keogh's two children, aged 3 and 10, and his two sisters, aged 11 and 13, were all in the vehicle when Harris stopped them.

A struggle occurred before Harris took a knife from his quad bike, pulled Keogh from the car, stabbed him and attempted to run him over before driving off.

The victim attempted to drive for assistance but collapsed.

His 10-year-old son, sitting on top of his father, drove back home to raise the alarm.
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An unconscious Keogh was rushed to Kaitaia Hospital but died later than evening.